The method and apparatus of this invention relate to the processing of partitions, and more specifically box partitions which may be of the paperboard, corrugated, solid fiber, chipboard, plastic or the like type having longitudinal and cross partition strips interengaged to define cells into which containers or the like are inserted.
Partitions of this general type are well known in the art and are exemplified by those shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,948,435, and 4,000,845, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference. Assembly machines for assembling partitions of these types are also well known in the art and are exemplified by the assembly machine shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,163,923, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Assembly machines of this general type assemble the partition by successively feeding transverse partition strips downwardly into engagement with parallel longitudinal partition strips, with the assembled partition being in an open configuration (the same configuration as when it is placed in the box). Other assembly machines assemble the longitudinal and cross strips in a nearly closed or partially open configuration.
Heretofore it has been customary to manually process the partitions after assembly. This has required manually collapsing each partition, counting the partitions, placing the partitions in bundles of selected numbers of partitions, and strapping or tieing the bundles for shipment. These manual operations are time consuming and costly. One type of automatic stacker for use with a particular type of assembly machine is shown by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,998,136 and 4,058,226. In these patents, the partitions are assembled in a partially open configuration and are generally horizontally oriented. The horizontal partitions are sequentially dropped onto a conveyor and then stacked. It should be noted that in these references the partitions are assembled and stacked from a horizontal orientation rather than in a vertical orientation as with the present invention.
Thus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for automatically collapsing partitions in a vertical orientation, and collecting the collapsed partitions into bundles of preselected numbers of partitions. It is a further object to automatically strap bundles of partitions for further processing such as shipping.
Generally, in accordance with the invention, the assembled partitions are collapsed to a vertical orientation and then carried by driven bands to a collector section. The collector section has upper and lower tracks defining vertical slots. The tracks, and hence the slots, index or advance transversely relative the path of travel of the collapsed partitions to position an empty slot in line with each collapsed partition as it enters the collector. The collapsed partitions are moving continuously to the collector with the track drives disengaging to receive each partition in a vertical slot, and then engaging to move the partition transversely.
Upon leaving the tracks, partitions are gathered in bundles with the partitions again oriented vertically within the bundle. From the collector, the bundles are conveyed to a strapping section where straps are automatically applied for further processing.
The entire apparatus of the invention operates automatically, and is fully adjustable to accommodate partitions of various dimensions and bundles of various sizes.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention are apparent from the drawings and detailed description to follow.